cause of it, there it was in a fire; and though all the fires that you ever saw were gathered together, they would not make one like it; and in the last of the fire (_’an earball an teine_) I looked to see what there was, and what was there but a horse and cow, while there were as good as five thousand little men, the hill men (_muinntir nan cnoc_), who were not larger than bottles, going on, on each side of the fire; and if you had as much knowledge of the dwellers of these hills as I have, you would not touch the widow’s portion, but if you are anxious to get back the animals--there before you, is the hill where they are, and where you can go and seek them, and if you can, find them.” The man, who was terrified by her appearance and words, kept looking at her (_’g a feitheamh_) and always drawing a step further off. He went home without horse or cow, and however long he remained in the office he held, the fear of the wise woman, (_Iseabal N’ic Rao’uill_) and the fairies kept him from ever returning to Duntulm. When he was out of sight of the township, the young men of Duntulm went to the islet where they left the animals, which they brought back and gave to the poor woman, who was then able to pay the tax. FOLK TALES. THE TWO BROTHERS. A TALE OF ENCHANTMENT. In early times, long ago, (_’an toiseach an t-saoghail, o chionn nan cian_), it is said that the island of Mull was uninhabited except by a few families who were living, on the south side at Carsaig, in that part of the island known as the Ross of Mull. These families lived isolated from the rest of the world; none of them had ever seen any one from anywhere else there, and none of themselves had ever left the place. They had no boats, and they said the other islets and land that they were seeing opposite were other worlds. One day, then, they saw coming on the sea before them (_mu’n comhair_) from the mainland a speck (_dùradan_), and when it came near they compared it to a horse with a tree standing on its back, but when it came to the shore it was a boat made of wicker-work covered with hides, with one man in it, who had some drink with him, and a quantity of hazel nuts for food. On account of his boat being covered with hides[23], they named him “The cowhide man, (_am boicionnach_). On landing, he told them how he had left home, out of curiosity to see other places, and that was the first place he was able to reach. He is said to have come from Ardencaple in the district of Lorn on the mainland (_Ard-nan-capull, ’an Lathurna_.) He stayed a long time with them, as they treated him kindly, being much pleased with him. He taught them new ways that were useful to them in their every-day life, and by his skill and knowledge promoted their welfare in many ways. On seeing that they were not utilizing the milk of their cows and goats by making cheese from it, he asked them the reason of this. They told him that they did not know what cheese